Heat dissipating apparatus and method for manufacturing same

ABSTRACT

An exemplary heat dissipation apparatus includes a stack of fins, a heat pipe extending through the fins, and a resilient plate fixed between the fins and the heat pipe. The fins are spaced from each other. Each of the fins defines a through hole therein for extending of the heat pipe therethrough. The heat pipe is mounted in the through hole. The resilient plate is fixed in the through hole and located between an edge of the through hole of the fin and the heat pipe, pushing the heat pipe into abutting engagement against the fin.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to heat dissipation inelectronics, and particularly to a heat dissipation apparatus forelectronic components and a method for manufacturing the heatdissipation apparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

With developments in electronics technology, increased performance ofelectronic components such as CPUs (central processing units) has beenachieved. However, such electronic components generate increased levelsof heat, which must be dissipated promptly. Conventionally, a heatdissipation apparatus which includes a fin assembly and a heat pipeextending through the fin assembly is used to remove the heat generatedby the electronic component.

The fin assembly includes a plurality of fins evenly spaced from eachother. Each of the fins defines a through hole therein, for extending ofthe heat pipe therethrough. The heat pipe includes an evaporationsection and a condensing section at two opposite ends thereof. Theevaporation section is thermally attached to the electronic component toabsorb heat therefrom. The condensing section is received in the throughholes of the fins, to transfer the heat from the evaporation section tothe fin assembly. In order to ensure a high heat conductive efficiencybetween the condensing section of the heat pipe and the fins, typically,the condensing section of the heat pipe is soldered in the through holesof the fins.

During the soldering process, the heat pipe is inserted in the throughholes of the fins and coated with a proper amount of solder. Then thefin assembly together with the heat pipe is put in a soldering stove. Inthe soldering stove, the solder melts down to fill in a gap between theheat pipe and an edge of the through hole of each fin. When the soldercools down, the heat pipe is intimately soldered in the through hole ofthe fin. However, the solder is typically composed of a lot of heavymetals, such as lead, tin or others, which if mishandled can causepermanent damage to humans or the environment.

Therefore, what is needed is a heat dissipation apparatus and a methodfor manufacturing the heat dissipation apparatus which can overcome thedescribed limitations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric, assembled view of a heat dissipation apparatusin accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the heat dissipation apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, front view of a portion of the heat dissipationapparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic, isometric view of one aspect of a method formanufacturing the heat dissipation apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 5A-5C are schematic, front views illustrating sequential steps ofthe method for manufacturing the heat dissipation apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a portion of a heat dissipation apparatus inaccordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a heat dissipation apparatus 100 according to afirst embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The heatdissipation apparatus 100 includes a fin assembly 10, two heat pipes 20extending through the fin assembly 10, and two resilient plates 30respectively abutting against the two heat pipes 20.

Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the fin assembly 10 includes aplurality of plate-shaped metallic fins 11 stacked together and spacedapart from each other at constant intervals. An air passage channel isdefined between every two adjacent fins 11. Each of the fins 11 isrectangular. Two flanges 111 protrude perpendicularly from two oppositelateral sides of the fin 11, respectively. The flanges 111 of each fin11 abut against an adjacent fin 11. The fin 11 defines two through holes112 therein, for extending of the two heat pipes 20 therethrough,respectively. The through holes 112 are circular.

Each fin 11 further defines two rectangular recesses 113 therein,adjacent the through holes 112, respectively. Each recess 113communicates with the corresponding through hole 112. A collar 114protrudes perpendicularly from the fin 11 at each of the through holes112. The collar 114 is C-shaped, and surrounds a majority of thecorresponding through hole 112. A gap 1141 is defined in the collar 114,corresponding to the recess 113 adjacent to the through hole 112. Thatis, the gap 1141 is located between the two ends of the C-shape of thecollar 114. The gap 1141 is aligned and communicates with the recess113. Perpendicular projections of the two ends of the collar 114 at twoopposite sides of the gap 1141 relative to the fin 11 project into thecorresponding recess 113 (see FIG. 3).

Each of the heat pipes 20 includes an evaporation section 21 and acondensing section 22 at two opposite ends thereof. The evaporationsection 21 is adapted to be thermally attached to an electroniccomponent (not shown) to absorb heat therefrom. The condensing section22 is mounted in the through hole 112 and the corresponding collar 114of each fin 11 through interference fit (see below). The condensingsection 22 has a generally D-shaped cross section, and includes a planesurface 221 and a curved surface 222 adjoining each other. The planesurface 221 of the condensing section 22 is oriented towards the recess113 and the gap 1141 of the collar 114 of each fin 11. The curvedsurface 222 of the condensing section 22 is oriented towards a majorityof a periphery of the through hole 112 other than at the recess 113, andabuts against an inner wall of the collar 114.

Each resilient plate 30 is strip-shaped, and extends through thecorresponding through hole 112 of each fin 11. The resilient plate 30has a generally saddle-shaped cross section (see FIG. 3). Two oppositelong lateral edges of the resilient plate 30 abut against the inner wallof the corresponding collar 114 of each fin 11. A middle portion of theresilient plate 30 between the two long lateral edges abuts against thecondensing section 22 of the corresponding heat pipe 20, pushing thecondensing section 22 to intimately contact the inner wall of the collar114. More particularly, the resilient plate 30 includes a plane abuttingportion 31 at the middle thereof, and two abutting flanges 32 formed attwo longitudinal lateral sides of the abutting portion 31. The abuttingportion 31 of the resilient plate 30 abuts against the plane surface 221of the condensing section 22. The abutting flanges 32 of the resilientplate 30 abut against the inner wall of the collar 114, so as to causethe curved surface 222 of the condensing section 22 to push against andintimately contact the inner wall of the collar 114.

Referring also to FIG. 4, during manufacturing of the heat dissipationapparatus 100, a pair of punching tools 40 and a punching process areapplied. Each of the pair of punching tools 40 includes a handle portion41, and a plurality of punching units 42 extending downwardly from thehandle portion 41. The handle portion 41 is strip-shaped. The punchingunits 42 are formed on a bottom surface of the handle portion 41, andare evenly spaced from each other along a longitudinal direction of thehandle portion 41. A distance between every two adjacent punching units42 exceeds a thickness of each fin 11. Each of the punching units 42 isrectangular, and has a thickness less than a distance between every twoadjacent fins 11.

Referring to FIG. 5A, before the punching process, for each punchingtool 40, the condensing section 22 of the corresponding heat pipe 20 hasa circular cross section, and a diameter of the condensing section 22 isless than a diameter of the through hole 112 of each fin 11. Thecondensing section 22 is loosely received in the through hole 112 of thefin 11. The resilient plate 30 is received in the recess 113 of the fin11 and located on the condensing section 22 of the heat pipe 20. By thisarrangement, the resilient plate 30 is located between the punchingunits 42 of the punching tool 40 and the condensing section 22.

Referring to FIGS. 5B to 5C, during the punching process, each punchingtool 40 is driven by a punch (not shown) to move down toward thecorresponding resilient plate 30. The punching units 42 of the punchingtool 40 enter the air passage channels between the fins 11 of the finassembly 10. The resilient plate 30 moves toward the condensing section22 of the corresponding heat pipe 20 and presses the condensing section22 due to the impact of the punching units 42. The condensing section 22deforms due to the pressing of the resilient plate 30. When the abuttingflanges 32 of the resilient plate 30 respectively run into the twoopposite ends of the collar 114 of each fin 11, the resilient plate 30deforms resiliently to pass through the gap 1141 of the collar 114 untilthe resilient plate 30 enters the through hole 112 of the fin 11. Afterpassing through the gap 1141, the resilient plate 30 rebounds to itsoriginal state, and the plane surface 221 and the curved surface 222 ofthe condensing section 22 are formed. The abutting portion 31 of theresilient plate 30 abuts against the plane surface 221 of the condensingsection 22, and the two abutting flanges 32 of the resilient plate 30abut against the inner wall of the collar 114. When the downwardpunching process is completed, the punching tool 40 is moved back upaway from the heat dissipation apparatus 100.

In the heat dissipation apparatus 100, the condensing section 22 of eachheat pipe 20 is punched to deform and thus be fittingly mounted in thecollar 114 of each fin 11 through an interference fit instead ofthrough, e.g., soldering. This avoids the use of solder comprised ofheavy metals. In addition, each resilient plate 30 of the heatdissipation apparatus 100 is resiliently fixed between each fin 11 andthe condensing section 22 of the corresponding heat pipe 20, to push thecondensing section 22 to abut against the inner wall of the collar 114and further ensure an intimate contact between the heat pipe 20 and thefin assembly 10. Furthermore, unlike with conventional heat dissipationapparatuses, soldering stoves are not needed during manufacturing of theheat dissipation apparatus 100. This not only simplifies themanufacturing process of the heat dissipation apparatus 100, but alsocan reduce a manufacturing cost of the heat dissipation apparatus 100.

Referring to FIG. 6, a heat dissipation apparatus 100 a according to asecond embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The heatdissipation apparatus 100 a is similar to that of the previousembodiment. Differently, in the heat dissipation apparatus 100 a, abottom portion of a recess 113 a of each fin 11 a is tapered toward thecorresponding through hole 112 of the fin 11 a. With this configuration,two protruding tongues 1131 of the fin 11 a bound two sides of thetapered bottom portion of the recess 113 a. The two protruding tongues1131 are located between the corresponding through hole 112 and a mainportion of the recess 113 a above the tapered bottom portion, and thetwo protruding tongues 1131 face each other. Perpendicular projectionsof two ends of a collar 114 a at two opposite sides of a gap 1141 arelative to the fin 11 a are located farther away from the recess 113 athan the two protruding tongues 1131. Two abutting flanges 32 of thecorresponding resilient plate 30 respectively abut against the twoprotruding tongues 1131.

During a punching process for manufacturing the heat dissipationapparatus 110 a, the resilient plate 30 deforms resiliently when theabutting flanges 32 thereof respectively run into the two protrudingtongues 1131, until the resilient plate 30 enters the through hole 112of the fin 11. After passing through the gap 1141 a, the resilient plate30 rebounds to its original state. The abutting portion 31 of theresilient plate 30 abuts against the plane surface 221 of the condensingsurface 22, and the two abutting flanges 32 respectively abut againstthe two protruding tongues 1131.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the exemplary embodiments have beenset forth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure isillustrative only, and that changes may be made in detail, especially inmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principlesof the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad generalmeaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A heat dissipation apparatus comprising: a plurality of fins stackedtogether and spaced from each other, each of the fins defining a throughhole therein; a heat pipe mounted in the through holes of the fins; anda resilient plate fixed in the through hole of each fin and locatedbetween an edge of the through hole of the fin and the heat pipe, theresilient plate pushing the heat pipe into abutting engagement againstthe fin.
 2. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1, wherein theresilient plate is strip-shaped, two opposite lateral edges of theresilient plate abut against each of the fins, and a middle of theresilient plate between the two lateral edges abuts against the heatpipe.
 3. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 2, wherein a collarprotrudes from the edge of the through hole of each of the fins, and theheat pipe is interferingly mounted in the collars of the fins with thetwo opposite lateral edges of the resilient plate abutting against innerwalls of the collars.
 4. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 3,wherein each fin further defines a recess therein adjacent to thethrough hole, the recess communicates with the through hole, the collaris C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar, the gapcommunicates with the recess, and perpendicular projections of two endsof the collar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to the finproject into the recess.
 5. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 2,wherein each of the fins further defines a recess therein adjacent tothe through hole, the recess communicates with the through hole, twoprotruding tongues of the fin bound two opposite sides of the recess,the two protruding tongues face each other, and the two opposite lateraledges of the resilient plate respectively abut against the twoprotruding tongues.
 6. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 5,wherein a collar protrudes from the edge of the through hole of eachfin, the collar is C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar,the gap communicates with the recess, the heat pipe is interferinglymounted in collar, and perpendicular projections of two ends of thecollar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to the fin are locatedfarther away from the recess than the two protruding tongues.
 7. Theheat dissipation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the resilient platecomprises an abutting portion at the middle thereof and two abuttingflanges at two opposite lateral sides of the abutting portion, theabutting portion abuts against the heat pipe, and the abutting flangesabut against each of the fins.
 8. The heat dissipation apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the heat pipe comprises a plane surface and a curvedsurface adjacent to the plane surface, the curved surface abuts againsteach fin, and the resilient plate abuts against the plane surface.
 9. Amethod for manufacturing a heat dissipation apparatus, comprising:providing a plurality of fins each of which defines a through hole and arecess therein, the recess being adjacent to and communicating with thethrough hole, the fins spaced from each other; providing a heat pipe andinserting the heat pipe in the through holes of the fins; providing aresilient plate and inserting the resilient plate in the recesses of thefins; providing a punching tool, and driving the punching tool to punchthe resilient plate to cause the resilient plate to enter the throughholes and press the heat pipe to abut against the fins, the heat pipethereby deforming and becoming interferingly fixed in the through holes,with the resilient plate fixed in the through holes and located betweenedges of the through holes of the fins and the heat pipe.
 10. The methodof claim 9, wherein the resilient plate is strip-shaped, two oppositelateral edges of the resilient plate abut against the fin, and a middleof the resilient plate between the two opposite lateral edges abutsagainst the heat pipe.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein a collarprotrudes from the edge of the through hole of each of the fins, thecollar is C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar, the gapcommunicates with the recess, perpendicular projections of two ends ofthe collar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to the fin projectin the recess, when the heat pipe is pressed to deform, the heat pipe isinterferingly fixed in collar, and the two opposite lateral edges of theresilient plate abutting against inner walls of the collars.
 12. Themethod of claim 10, two protruding tongues of the fin bound two oppositesides of the recess, the two protruding tongues face each other, andwhen the heat pipe is pressed to deform, and the two opposite lateraledges of the resilient plate respectively abut against the twoprotruding tongues.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein a collarprotrudes from the edge of the through hole of each fin, the collarsurrounds a majority the through hole, the collar is C-shaped such thata gap is defined in the collar, the gap communicates with the recess,perpendicular projections of two ends of the collar at two oppositesides of the gap relative to the fin are located farther away from therecess than the two protruding tongues, and when the punching process isover, the heat pipe is mounted in collar through interference fit. 14.The method of claim 10, wherein the resilient plate comprises anabutting portion at the middle thereof and two abutting flanges formedat two longitudinal lateral sides of the abutting portion, the abuttingportion abuts against the heat pipe, and the abutting flanges abutagainst each of the fins.
 15. The method of claim 9, when the heat pipeis pressed to deform, a plane surface and a curved surface are formed onthe heat pipe, the plane surface and the curved surface adjoins eachother, the curved surface abuts against the fin, and the resilient plateabuts against the plane surface of the heat pipe.
 16. A heat dissipationapparatus comprising: a plurality of parallel fins stacked together andspaced from each other, each of the fins defining a through holetherein; a heat pipe mounted in the through holes of the fins; and aresilient plate fixed in the through hole of each fin and locatedbetween an edge of the through hole of the fin and the heat pipe, theresilient plate elastically urging the heat pipe and a portion of thefin at the through hole such that the heat pipe abuts against anotherportion of the fin at the through hole and is in intimate thermalcontact with the other portion of the fin.
 17. The heat dissipationapparatus of claim 16, wherein the resilient plate is strip-shaped andhas a saddle-shaped cross section, the resilient plate comprises anabutting portion at a middle thereof and two abutting flanges formed attwo longitudinal lateral sides of the abutting portion, the abuttingportion abuts against the heat pipe, and the abutting flange abutsagainst each of the fins.
 18. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim17, wherein a collar protrudes from each of the fins from the edge thethrough hole of the fin, the heat pipe is interferingly mounted in thecollars of the fins, and the two abutting flanges of the resilient plateabut against an inner wall of the collar.
 19. The heat dissipationapparatus of claim 18, wherein each fin further defines a recess thereinadjacent to the through hole, the recess communicates with the throughhole, the collar is C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar,the gap communicates with the recess, and perpendicular projections oftwo ends of the collar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to thefin project into the recess.
 20. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim17, wherein the fin further defines a recess therein adjacent to thethrough hole, the recess communicate with the through hole, twoprotruding tongues of the fin bound two opposite sides of the recess,the two protruding tongues face each other, and the two abutting flangesof the resilient plate respectively abut against the two protrudingtongues.